Woman hands back dropped thousands.

APPEAL: Money returned after plea

A woman who initially pocketed thousands of pounds that she found lying on the street has returned the cash to its rightful owner.

The woman was seen on CCTV lifting the bundle from the ground and flicking through it as she walked away towards Perth city centre on Friday afternoon.

But following a police appeal the money was returned yesterday.

The money’s rightful owner, Maxine Stronach, said she had no desire for “revenge” on the woman and said she would try to get any charges which might be levelled against her dropped.

The cash, which was intended for the purchase of a caravan, fell to the ground unnoticed by Maxine as she exited a car on Murray Terrace and was picked up by a woman at around 3.10pm on Friday.

Although she reported the theft to police immediately, Maxine waited 24 hours before circulating the CCTV footage on social media in an effort to allow the woman to hand the cash in.

After the footage circulated widely around Perth’s online community, a woman turned up at her door with the missing money.

Maxine’s husband Derek told The Courier: “Somebody came to the door with the cash and gave us it – she didn’t want to say who she was.

“We phoned the police to let them know we’d got it. They asked us if we want to pursue charges but we are not bothered, we are just happy to have the money back.”

Maxine had previously said that they would not see the woman punished if she came forward.

She said: “We gave her time to hand it in and we would have given her a reward if she had.

“She clearly knew what it was. What struck me is she was so calm – it was April Fool’s Day and most people would have thought it was a joke.

“If the money was handed in I would try to get the charges dropped – I don’t need revenge.”

Prior to the cash being returned, Police Scotland said they were “following a positive line of inquiry” and were keen to speak to the woman seen taking the cash, who was wearing a navy blue, thigh-length parka jacket with fur hood, black leggings, trainers and an over the shoulder tan handbag.

Police declined to say if anyone had been charged in relation to the incident.

CCTV footage of the woman who found the money.